My Father Connecticut Corona Gorda Review

Connecticut Corona Gorda
Made by: My Father
Country: Nicaragua, Ecuador
Vitola: 6 by 48

This is a revisit to the My Father Connecticut, however this size does the cigar better justice in my opinion. The smaller ring gauge gives the wrapper a larger influence upon the profile. Exactly what it will do to the profile is the point of this review. So on that note, let’s get this started and see how it compares to its other size with My Father Connecticut Corona Gorda Review.

Prelight

The cigar has a decent cap, very firm and consistent pack. The foot band ribbons always add to the aesthetics of the cigars in my opinion. Small veins, there are a couple of specimens larger, but it should be no issue to the burn. The foot is giving off cedar and floral Jasmine, with a light white pepper finish. Easy cut but there was a bit of loose tobacco, a little bit above average resistance on the prelight draw. Strong Cedar and a subtle floral note. This should be a very good cigar much like the other vitola that I reviewed earlier this year.

1/3

Lots of Cedar on the front, slight cashew on the center. The finish is actually a mix of black pepper and cream. Medium bodied and low strength at this point. Low to medium smoke production and smokes thickness is about a medium. Decent burn line not the straightest. Pretty flaky ash, the smoke thickness is increasing as I get through the first third. Cedar in cashew are dominant on the front of the cigar, cream holds the center now.

2/3

The finish is now a mix of leather and black pepper but it is really tasty. This black pepper isn’t the usual harsh note that you get from cigars that are robust in that note. Cream remains on the center with the light cashew mixed in. In the front to still a mix of the cedar and cashew. Body remains a medium, strength is still little low. Smoke thickness has increased but I still would not put it above medium. The production is low to medium still, the ash is still flaky as well. As I get through the second third the black pepper is coming up into the center of the profile, the leather note that accompanies it is keeping the pepper tame. It’s an odd flavor note to have black pepper and cream mixed.  Cedar is overtaking the cashew on the front, and in truth that is the best part of the cigar. The leather and black pepper round out the profile wonderfully, but the front is where this cigar shines.

3/3

The body is still holding out a medium, the strength is up to a low to medium. The burn line remains slightly off, but no touchups needed throughout the cigar. Leather and cream have taken over the cigar as I reach the nub. The cashew is gone and the cedar is carrying as an undertone throughout the cigar.

Smoke Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Conclusion: 89

Delicious and great transitions, lighter body and strength, but for the sector that it hits this cigar is great. Medium bodied and low to medium strength. Strong cedar, and then mixed leather and cream. The black pepper brings an odd aspect to the profile that adds a nice uniqueness. I really didn’t pick up any white pepper other than off the foot at the start. This is absolutely worth a fiver and if you like it enough this could be a cigar to be visited twice a week given its price point to performance ratio.

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AVO Syncro Fogata – New AVO Blend using more Nicaraguan tobaccos

Anthony’s Cigar Emporium is receving the new AVO Syncro Nicaragua Fogata.  Avo Cigars is following up on its success with its Avo Syncro Nicaragua line with the strongest cigar yet in the Avo Cigars portfolio: the Avo Syncro Fogata. The Avo Syncro Nicaragua was the first regular-production Avo cigar to incorporate Nicaraguan tobacco into its blend, with filler leaves hailing from the volcanic island of Ometepe.

The Avo Syncro Fogata builds off this concept by replacing the Ometepe tobacco with filler leaves from farther north (which produce stronger tobaccos): tobacco from Condega and Estelí, Nicaragua.Davidoff of Geneva, having purchased Nicaraguan farmland, is incorporating more Nicaraguan tobaccos in its brands, still true to their farm to humidor, vertically integrated cigar making model.

Besides using the stronger leaves from the Esteli and Condega regions of Nicaragua the Avo Syncro Fogata also uses more Nicaraguan tobacco in its blend than all other Avo cigars but, like all Avo cigars, this smoke is delivered in a balanced, easy to smoke, creamy profile by blending in Dominican leaves in the filler. The wrapper is Habano 2000 Clara (Ecuador), the binder is Negro San Andreas (Mexico) and the filler blend is a very full bodied mix of Esteli Ligero (Nicaragua), Condega Visus (Nicaragua), Yamasa Visus, Piloto and San Vicente Ligero (Dominican Republic).

“Fogata, meaning bonfire or campfire in Spanish, was a great inspiration for this new cigar. It is one of my favorite settings to share unforgettable and intimate moments with my closest of friends,” cigarmaker and famed jazz musician Avo Uvezian said in a statement. “With Syncro Nicaragua Fogata, we went off the beaten path in search of more intense taste experiences and are proud to now share with you this vibrant new blend in our portfolio.”

“AVO Syncro Nicaragua Fogata delivers new frontiers in cigar experiences. Pulsing with the rhythm of Nicaragua’s more intense Esteli and Condega tobaccos and composed with the softer, creamier notes of our Dominican grown tobacco, aficionados will savor every note and be delighted by the fusion of wild complexity blended with unprecedented harmony,” said Charles Awad, svp of global innovation & marketing for Oettinger Davidoff AG.

Avo Syncro Fogata in manufactured at the Occidental Kelner (OK) Cigars factory in the Dominican Republic. Each Avo Syncro Fogata size come packaged in 20 count boxes. The AVO Syncro Fogata line-up is four vitolas: Short Torpedo (4 ½” x 52), Robusto (5” x 50), Toro (6” x 54) and Special Toro (6” x 60).

Click picture to browse the AVO Syncro Fogata at Anthony’s Cigar Emporium.

The AVO Syncro Fogata line-up is four vitolas: Short Torpedo (4 ½” x 52), Robusto (5” x 50), Toro (6” x 54) and Special Toro (6” x 60).

 

Camacho Powerband – New Camacho Master Built Series

The Camacho Powerband is headed to Anthony’s Cigar Emporium.  The Camacho Powerband is the second release under Camacho’s Master Built Series, the new Powerband is a full throttle cigar with plenty of deep spice and rich earthy flavors with notes of oak, dark coffee, pepper, and caramel. The Camacho Powerband features a new, proprietary bunching technique that combines the Dominican accordion style, where filler leaves are folded like an accordion, and entubado, a Cuban technique where filler leaves are rolled into long cylindrical tubes. “Our method is the combination of two bunching methods that, in the end, produce peak combustion and airflow through the cigar, with perfect resistance,” Dylan Austin, vice president of marketing for Davidoff of Geneva USA (Camacho’s parent company) told Cigar Aficionado.

The Camacho Powerband uses an Ecuadorian habano 2000 wrapper over a Mexican San Andrés negrito binder. Underneath is Camacho’s signature Honduran corojo—from the ligero priming—another corojo ligero from Estelí, Nicaragua, Dominican San Vicente ligero, San Vicente viso and Dominican piloto Cubano.

From Camacho: “As our master builders in the Dominican Republic did with the first release in the series, American Barrel-Aged, they’ve drawn inspiration for this new concept from a category and way of life that amplifies and reflects Camacho’s Live Loud world. Each Powerband cigar is built to capture the rush of adrenaline, force of acceleration and blast of endorphins felt barreling down the open road full tilt on an iconic V-twin motorcycle. To bring this experience to life, we’ve completely redefined the bunching of a premium cigar, utilizing proprietary processes that can be performed only by a handful of skilled rollers in the factory. Once again, they’ve pushed the limits of what a cigar could be. The leaves of the two Corojo ligeros are tipped outwards, so the cigar starts intense, drops down after the first third, where the performance peaks. The cigar, after the performance peak, accelerates to be more intense and flavor-forward than before.”

Camacho Powerband is manufactured at the Davidoff-owned factory Occidental Cigar Corp., located in the Dominican Republic.

Click to browse the Camacho Powerband at Anthony’s Cigar Emporium.

The Camacho Powerband vitola line-up.

Ashton Cabinet No 6 Robusto Review

Cabinet No 6
Made by: Ashton
Country: Dominican Republic
Vitola: 5 1/2 by 50

Ashton is another well know brand, the fuller bodied offerings like the ESG and VSG are spectacular. This is the Cabinet line which is much lower in body. The key here is to find if, as a mild cigar, it provides a smooth, soft, and stable experience. With that lets get this Ashton Cabinet No 6 Robusto Review started.

Prelight

Small veins and almost invisible seams. Nice smooth Connecticut shade wrapper with very light tooth. Nice triple cap, the second third is tighter then the first and final third. Slight wrapper tooth, there should be a creamy element to this cigar. The foot is giving off sweet grass and leather. There also seems to be alight white pepper on the finish. Good cut, just a bit of loose tobacco. The prelight draw has a good amount of resistance to it, there is a sweet hay and leather present. Lets get this lit up and see how it performs.

1/3

Pretty easy to light, medium smoke production and medium thickness. There is definitely an element of cream to the center of this cigars profile. There is a nice subtle sweet grass/hay on the front of this cigar, definitely light body, mild to medium at the moment but I could see it getting closer to medium in the second third. For a lighter cigar the smoke thickness is doing it justice. The finish is a light white pepper, as I reach the end of the first third there is a bit of leather mixing into the finish.

2/3

As the second third gets going the very light white pepper on the finish is overtaken by the leather that has come up on the finish. The cream that was on the center is now carrying into the finish alongside the leather. The front is maintaining that very light sweet grass note and there is a bit of a cedar undertone. The strength is at a low and the body has maintained a low to medium. The burn line is going well, not perfect, but stable and definitely not in jeopardy of needing a touchup. A summary of the end of the second third is sweet grass and cedar on the front and cream and leather on the finish. Two different sides of a coin, but the light body is keeping the finish calm (those flavors are usually a lot bolder).

3/3

The leather has continued to come up as the front is dropping. The sweet hay is still there but the cedar has fallen. Smoke thickness has held constant at a medium, and the cream that has accompanied that is still bleeding into the profile. The light white pepper is back on the finish, but the sweet grass and leather were the main notes that this cigar produced. The cream added wonderfully to the profile, in my opinion this made the cigar. At the nub the body was just about at a medium, and the strength was still at a low.

Smoke Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Conclusion: 85

Decent burn time, good construction, odd flavors for a cigar marketed as more mild. In my mind that title usually brings more floral/herbal notes to the table. This cigar is definitely mild to medium body and low strength. My advice would be that this is a good cigar for someone that doesn’t want the leather pepper as bold as medium or medium to full cigars present. That said, a mild cigar smoker could keep a box of these around. It would be a good stock for friends that they recognize like heavier cigars, but when buying the box this is something a mild cigar smoker may drift to occasionally. Personally this is a relaxing cigar that would be good when you aren’t looking for something to command your attention.

Click on the picture to find this cigar at anthonyscigars.com

Tatuaje Black Label – Now Regular Production

Anthony’s Cigar Emporium is receiving the new Tatuaje Black Label.  The Tatuaje Black Label is now a regular production cigar that started as a very full bodied-blend that Tatuaje owner Pete Johnson made for himself. All tobacco in the Tatuaje Black Label is 1st Generation Cuban-seed grown in Nicaragua. The Tatuaje Black is a Nicaraguan puro with a sun grown criollo wrapper from Estelí and Nicaraguan fillers. Lush, rich, strong, and very complex with plenty of pepper. Johnson has said the three new sizes will be like the regular production Petite Lancero: triple caps, a regular foot and a white on black band. The Corona Gorda will use a fuma cap, which features a slightly protruding nipple, a covered foot and a the silver and black band that was used for the 2013 release.  They come packaged now in 20 ct. boxes instead of the melamine jars used previously.

Click to Browse the new Tatuaje Black Label at Anthony’s Cigar Emporium.

The five sizes are: Petite Robusto (4 x 50), Petite Lancero (6 x 38), Corona Gorda (5 5/8 x 46), Cazadores (6 3/8 x 43) and Gran Toro (6 1/2 x 52).

Tatuaje Verocu No 4 Robusto Review

Verocu No 4
Made by: Tatuaje
Country: Nicaragua
Vitola: 5 1/4 by 50

I previously conducted a review on a larger vitola in this line. It was a bold offering from Tatuaje, nice strength and mouth feel. It will be interesting to see if there are any significant changes in the sizes. I am very happy that the company expanded the line beyond the No 5. I am expecting again a bold and pretty high strength offering from Tatuaje. With that let’s get this started with a Tatuaje Verocu No 4 Robusto Review.

Prelight

Small to medium sized veins, barely visible seams. Pretty good cap, not perfect but well made. The foot is giving off deep cocoa and heavy mixed pepper. There is almost a light graham cracker to it as well. Clean and perfect cut, the cap held up wonderfully. Just a bit of loose tobacco. Pretty good draw, light resistance. On the prelight there are notes of mixed pepper and dry cocoa powder. Pretty good cut, there was a bit of excessive rollers glue, definitely some loose tobacco. The draw is a bit harder than usual. The prelight draw is showing heavy mixed pepper and dry cocoa.

1/3

Medium smoke output and great smoke thickness. Dry cocoa on the front with that light graham cracker note coming in on the center. The finish is a mix of black and white pepper. Off kilter burn line, but thick and heavy mouth feel. The cocoa is bold in this cigar, which is its strong suit. Medium to full body and low strength. I know from the past that the strength should increase.

2/3

As I reach the start of the second third the pepper finish is coming up. Black forward and white behind, the dry cocoa and light graham cracker have meshed on the front and are still certainly present before the pepper takes control. The flavors are bold and the mouth feel is thick and slightly oily. Good, but leaves room for improvement. The body to strength balance has been enjoyable so far I hope that maintains.

3/3

Graham cracker came onto the front slight cashew fading, the center is still mainly mixed pepper with a hint of leather on the finish. White pepper forward at this point the black pepper has faded. Still medium to full body, as I approach the nub the strength comes up to medium. The burn line never reached perfect, but no touch ups were ever needed. Good profile, not to complex but decent transitions.

Smoke Time: 1 hour and 15 minutes

Conclusion: 87

I really think this is miles above the Havana IV line from Tatuaje. It’s a no brainier to keep a box of these around if you are a normal cigar smoker. The question comes down to size. The No 5 justifies a short smoke 24/7 but this keeps to traditional means of being a sit down and longer term smoke. So try it? Absolutely, box buy on your own terms but in my opinion this is a darn good profile. Despite the low complexity this is a great casual cigar to my own personal preference. On that note I highly suggest trying that for your own relaxing afternoons.

Click on the picture to find this cigar at anthonyscigars.com

Camacho Barrel Aged Robusto Review

Barrel Aged
Made by: Camacho
Country: United States, Honduras, Dominican Republic,
Vitola: 5 by 50 Robusto

As a general company, some of the older offerings were outstanding from Camacho. Recently, the more popular blend has been the Corojo of the newer releases. This is not “new,” it has been around for several months, but it is something that should be tried. Barrel aged refers to bourbon barrels, so in that sense it’s on the edge of being an infused offering. However, from my previous experiences with this cigar, that actually helped the profile. With that let’s see how it performs with a Camacho Barrel Aged Robusto Review.

Prelight

Nice tooth to the wrapper, medium veins, and the cap is pretty good. The cigars band covers a large amount of the cigar. Visible seams and the foot is giving off oak, light mixed pepper, and a sweet note that must be the bourbon. Good cut, some loose tobacco, no cap problems. The prelight draw is easy and is giving off sweet bourbon and oak with a spicy red pepper on the lips. Let’s get this lit up and see how it performs.

1/3

Wonderful oak on the front, sweet syrupy almost pine on the center and a sharp red pepper . Medium bodied and low strength, thick smoke. Not the straightest burn line, good mouth feel. I don’t find the cigar too balanced at this point, but my memory recalls that this cigar is one that builds as it progresses. Let’s see what happens, at this point it’s not spectacular but pretty standard.

2/3

Cream has come up on the front, oak has fallen to the center where the syrupy sweetness remains. The finish is still a red pepper, but black seems to be coming up. Medium to full bodied and low to medium strength. The ash flaky but very white, the burn line remains slightly off. As I reach the end of the second third the strength is rising, and the black pepper is actually falling. Interesting flavor shifts in this, I have to say Camacho did a good job with this cigar. As I said in the first third, this cigar builds. If the body or strength passes your tolerance then end it. In my opinion the best is still yet to come, the red pepper is amazing.

3/3

Medium to full bodied, medium strength. The flavors continue to develop as I get in the last third. The cream has dropped on the front, oak has come back up Red Pepper is prominent throughout the center and finish, the sweetness is still there but that red pepper is delicious. An odd addition is a light hay added to the red pepper on the finish. The nub did get slightly squishy.

Smoke Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Conclusion:86

So, my synopsis is that this, if you are a Camacho fanboy, is a great cigar to visit. Great profile, odd ordering of flavor. It builds in body and in strength. Great offering, the bourbon barrel finish did add a great aspect this cigar. As always this is personal opinion, but I would absolutely say that this cigar is worth trying.

Click on the picture to find this cigar at anthonyscigars.com

Le Bijou Limited Edition 2016 – Shipping this week!

My Father Cigars, Inc. will begin shipping the newest size in its Le Bijou 1922 line to Anthony’s Cigar Emporium this week. The Le Bijou Limited Edition 2016 is the latest limited edition from My Father, coming off a #1 Cigar of the Year honors from Cigar Aficionado for the My Father Le Bijou Box Pressed Torpedo.  Production of the Le Bijou Limited Edition 2016 was strictly limited to 4,000 boxes.  Each beautiful box contains 14 individual cigar coffins containing a 6 1/2″ x 52 Toro.

The blend of the Le Bijou Limited Edition 2016 is derived from the Le Bijou 1922 line and has a Ecuadorian habano oscuro wrapper over a Nicaraguan binder and Nicaraguan fillers including pelo de oro tobacco grown by the García family.  Pelo de Oro is notoriously difficult to grow, as it’s prone to disease and produces low yields, which makes it quite an investment for a tobacco grower.  However, it’s a tobacco varietal renown by cigar makers for its combination of strength and sweet flavor.  It is banned in Cuba because of its susceptibility to blue mold.

Click to Browse at the Le Bijou Limited Edition 2016 at Anthony’s Cigar Emporium.

Camacho Liberty 2016 HAS ARRIVED!

Click to browse at Anthony’s Cigar Emporium.

Camacho 14^th annual Liberty Series has arrived just in time for July 4^th.  The Camacho Liberty 2016 version of the annual limited release comes in a very sleek box with a triangularly folded American flag with 14 stars (for 14th year of the limited edition series).  Each Camacho Liberty 2016 box contains 20 individual cigar coffins.  The single vitola is Camacho’s 11/18 size, a 6 x 48 x 54 x 48 Perfecto.  The Camacho Liberty 2016 has an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper over Honduran corojo (Camacho’s signature leaf) as a binder, with Dominican San Vicente seco, Mexican San Andrés ligero and Nicaraguan Estelí ligero and Ometepe seco for the filler blend.

The cigar was made at Davidoff’s Agroindustria LAEPE S.A. in Danlí, Honduras.  Only 2,000 boxes will be released.  Anthony’s Cigar Emporium has already received the Camacho Liberty 2016.  To order and receive Free Shipping click here.

Click to browse at Anthony’s Cigar Emporium.

Padron 1964 Hermoso Natural Review

1964 Hermoso Natural
Made by: Padron
Country: Nicaragua
Vitola: 4 by 56

I am expecting greater complexity and balance from the Natural version of the Hermoso by Padron. The Maduro was powerful and bold, let’s see where this falls in comparison. With that let’s begin a Padron 1964 Hermoso Natural Review.

Prelight

Do I even need to talk about the cap, after the previous two reviews I think the point has been made that this company doesn’t particularly focus on that part of the cigar. In either case, their rollers know what they are doing because time and time again this is not a problem. This cap is a bit better then usual but still leaves room for improvement. Subtle tooth, visible seams, and slight box press. Small to medium sized veins, and the foot is giving off cocoa, light hay, and red pepper. Just given those characteristics I believe the finish may be similar to the Maduro version, in an ideal world that will be lighter though. Clean cut, but some loose tobacco, just as easy as a draw as the Maduro there is a red pepper tingle on the tongue which is new. Light sweet hay and cocoa on the prelight draw, the finish is more red pepper then white this time around though. Let’s get this lit up and see how it performs.

1/3

Sweet dry hay and cocoa on the front, the hay stays present through the center and then a red pepper finish comes on with nice tongue bite. Medium to full bodied and medium strength, so less bold then the Maduro but it is still holding the strength. That hay note is enjoyable, but not as unique as the floral note. Lots of smoke production and the thickness is increasing.

2/3

Good burn line, in that sense this is outperforming the Maduro. This cigar seems to be coming up in complexity and keeping the strength. Very compact but flaky ash, hay and cashew are now on the front cocoa has dropped but is notable on the center. The finish has maintained red pepper but it also has a white pepper addition. Enjoyable profile, this seems to be the sweet spot the strength hasn’t moved from medium and the body has stayed at a medium to full.

3/3

As I reach the end of the cigar the body has stayed at a medium to full and the strength has reached a medium to full as well. The complexity is dropping as hay comes back into control on the front and the cocoa joins it again in a more subtle role. The finish has come up and is a mix of red and white pepper. Still a good tongue tingle from that red pepper.

Smoke Time: 55 minutes

Conclusion: 88

If you hopped to the conclusion, the main change from the Maduro that this cigar showed was a lighter body (medium to full), but it held the same if not more strength. So if you like strength to your cigars, the Hermoso line is a good pick. From there comes body preference in which case the Maduro is bolder. Overall both were good, but coming in at a lighter body places the Natural up against a lot more cigars in the medium full area. That said, it differentiates itself by bringing higher strength to the table alongside improved complexity (when compared to the Maduro as well as other medium to full cigars).

Click on the picture to find this cigar at anthonyscigars.com